Lid

ABSTRACT

Lids for cups. In preferred embodiments, lids which are installable on cups which provide hybrid functionalities. In still more preferred embodiments, hybrid drinking cup lids for installation on a cup which are structurally configured to include a drink through portion and a straw receiving portion; the drink through portion and the straw receiving portion being alternately useable for optionally drinking without a straw or for optionally drinking with a straw. In the most preferred embodiments the straw receiving portion is configured and located to reduce mechanical wear on inserted straws, such as paper straws, during use.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/765,211, filed on Aug. 20, 2018, and also entitled LID. Theentirety of such application is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates, in at least one embodiment, to lids for cups. Inpreferred embodiments, this invention relates to lids which areinstallable on cups which provide hybrid or improved functionalities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of disposable lids on disposable cups has been ubiquitous fordecades. Such lids, in the case of cold cup lids, have heretoforetypically included straw apertures for the insertion of a plastic strawso that a beverage can be accessed from the cup using the straw, forsake of drinking enjoyment and convenience. However, in recent times thewidespread use of disposable straws—particularly those made ofplastic—has become an environmental concern. This environmental concernis heightened because cold cup lids, and the cups they are installed on,are often also disposable. Therefore, the use of disposable strawscollectively with disposable cups and lids, has been acknowledged tohave a negative impact on the environment, particularly when thearticles are not disposed of properly by the end user.

Addressing these concerns, in very recent times, straw manufacturershave begun to manufacture straws out of paper products, instead of theplastic type variants conventionally used. Although such paper strawproducts are more environmentally friendly, they present their ownproblems. For example, paper straws are significantly less durable thanplastic straws (which are nearly indestructible) whereas the typicalpaper straw, when used in a conventional cold cup lid, has a useablelifespan of only approximately twenty minutes. This is becauseconventional cold cup lids typically locate straw apertures at or nearthe center of the lid. Located near the lid center, significant back andforth movement of the lower (and/or upper) portion of an installed strawis mechanically permitted. Indeed, it is essential to the use of thelid/straw combination to ergonomically position the human user's head,relative to the beverage in the cup, for efficient drinking. This backand forth movement—in turn—results in high levels of mechanical wear onthe straw, as the (typically sharp) edges of the aperture of the lidexert dynamic wearing forces on the outer straw surfaces.

Furthermore, although so-called drink-through type lids which allow auser to drink through an aperture in the lid, have been known in theart, as have been lids which include straw apertures, there exists aneed or desire in the art for lids which provide both functionalities,and/or provide both functionalities combined with improved additionallid performances. Including both a drink-through function and strawreceptacle function in one lid configuration, for example, reduces theamount of inventory that a lid manufacturer or re-seller must keep onhand to meet different consumer needs.

It is, in certain embodiments, a purpose of the herein describedinventions to address one or more of the above drawbacks or needs in theart. It is also a purpose of the herein described inventions to addressother drawbacks and/or other desires for improvements in the art,whether or not currently known, which will become more apparent to theskilled artisan once given the present disclosure.

SUMMARY OF CERTAIN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Generally speaking, one or more of the inventions described hereinprovide lids which have configurations or functions which have beenheretofore unknown in the art. One such lid embodiment is a dual-use lidconfigured to provide the hybrid functionalities of permitting strawlessuse, while also permitting the use of a straw when desired. In at leastone embodiment of such invention, a lid is provided with a drink-throughaperture and also with a straw receptacle so that the lid can be used ineither drink-through or straw-mode as desired.

In other embodiments of the lids described herein, lids are providedwhich are designed to improve or increase paper straw performance and/orlongevity. In at least one embodiment of such invention, a strawaperture is located spaced from the center-point (or centerline) of thelid. In more preferred embodiments, the straw aperture is located spacedproximal to the circumferential perimeter of the lid. In suchembodiments, when a straw is inserted in the specially located strawaperture (with the lid installed on a cup), the lower-end of the strawis positioned proximal the side wall of the cup. This near-wallpositioning utilizes the cup wall itself to restrict movement of thestraw within the straw aperture. This restricted movement, in turn,reduces mechanical abrasion on an inserted straw which promotes improvedstraw longevity. This straw install location also places the lower endof straw—which is used for beverage intake—in the corner of the cupbottom where liquid beverage collects when the cup is tilted fordrinking.

In at least one embodiment, there is provided: a hybrid drinking cup lidfor installation on a cup which is structurally configured to include adrink through portion and a straw receiving portion; the drink throughportion and the straw receiving portion being alternately useable foroptionally drinking without a straw or for optionally drinking with astraw.

In at least one alternative embodiment, there is provided: a lidcomprising: an annular lower cup lid engaging portion comprising acircumferential skirt including a first portion comprising an angledannular wall angled at a selected angle to engage with a lip of a cupand to guide the lid to a position substantially centered on a cup towhich the lid will be installed and a second portion angled in a seconddirection at a second angle, the intersection of the first portion andthe second portion being plastically (or otherwise) deformable such thatthe intersection of angles deforms when pressed against a cup lip andsnaps over the cup lip to retain the lid on the cup lip to accomplishfixation of the lid to the cup; and an upwardly extending raised annularlid portion having a first portion having a first height and having asecond portion having a second height which is raised relative to thefirst height of the first portion; the second portion configured toreceive a lower lip of a user, the second portion having a substantiallysmooth surface to obtain a liquid tight seal between a lower lip of auser and the second portion; a planar top portion located inboard of theupwardly extending raised annular lid portion; a tab having a wide endand a narrow end, the tab having two non-parallel sides beingdisconnectably affixed to the planar top portion such that the wide endand the non-parallel sides may be disconnected from the planar topportion such that the tab can be bent backwards to expose a drinkopening; the tab having a male protrusion; the planar top portion havinga female receptacle portion; the tab being bendable backwards andsecurable in an open position to expose a drink opening by press fittingthe male protrusion into the female receptacle portion; a cross-cutportion in line with and located generally opposite of the tab on theplanar top portion, the cross cut portion being comprised of a firstlinear cut which goes partially but not entirely through the planar topportion in at least one region of the linear cut; a second linear cutwhich transects the first linear cut at an intersection point and whichis oriented approximately perpendicular thereto; the intersection pointbeing located substantially spaced from the centerline of the lid andinboard of the raised annular portion by a distance sufficient torestrict movement of an inserted straw; the cross cut being alternatelypuncturable by a straw for use to drink liquid using a straw or, in thealternative, puncturable to serve as a vent hole to allow air to escapeduring drinking to improve drinking flow.

In another embodiment, there is provided: a lid comprising: an annularlower cup lid engaging portion comprising a circumferential skirtincluding a first portion comprising an angled annular wall angled at aselected angle to engage with a lip of a cup and to guide the lid to aposition substantially centered on a cup to which the lid will beinstalled and a second portion angled in a second direction at a secondangle, the intersection of the first portion and the second portionbeing plastically deformable such that the intersection of anglesdeforms when pressed against a cup lip and snaps over the cup lip toretain the lid on the cup lip to accomplish fixation of the lid to thecup; a cup lip retaining portion extending around the circumference ofthe lid; an upwardly extending raised annular lid portion, locatedinboard of the cup lip retaining portion, having a first portion havinga first height and having a second portion having a second height whichis raised relative to the first height of the first portion; the secondportion configured to receive a lower lip of a user, the second portionhaving a substantially smooth surface to obtain a liquid tight sealbetween a lower lip of a user and the second portion; a planar topportion located inboard of the upwardly extending raised annular lidportion; a tab having two non-parallel sides, the configuration of thetwo non-parallel sides of the tab resulting in the tab having a wide endand a narrow end, and the tab having a third side located proximal thesecond raised annular lid portion, the two non-parallel sides and thethird side of the tab each being disconnectably affixed to the planartop portion such that the third end and the two non-parallel sides maybe disconnected from the planar top portion such that the tab can bebent in a direction away from the second raised annular lid portion toexpose a tab drink opening; the tab further including a male protrusion;the planar top portion having a female receptacle portion; the tab beingsecurable in an open position by press fitting the male protrusion intothe female receptacle portion; a cross-cut portion in line with andlocated generally opposite of the tab on the planar top portion, thecross-cut portion being comprised of a first linear cut which goespartially but not entirely through the planar top portion in at leastone region of the linear cut; a second linear cut which transects thefirst linear cut at an intersection point and which is orientedapproximately perpendicular thereto; the intersection point of thecross-cut portion being located substantially spaced from a centerlineof the lid and also located at a selected distance D inboard of the cuplip retaining portion; the cross-cut portion being puncturable by astraw for use to drink liquid using a straw and, in the alternative,puncturable to serve as a vent hole to allow air to escape duringdrinking through the tab drink opening to improve drinking flow; and theselected distance D being so selected such that when a straw isinstalled in the cross-cut portion of the lid, and when the lid isinstalled on a cup, the cross-cut portion of the lid locates a lower endof the straw proximal a side wall of the cup thereby restrictingmovement of the straw, in at least one direction, when inserted in thecross-cut portion of the lid, thereby reducing mechanical wear on thestraw.

In at least one example of the above-described embodiments, theintersection point of the cross-cut portion is located outboard of amidpoint between the centerline of the lid and the cup lip retainingportion. In some of these example embodiments, good (or at leastimproved) paper straw longevity is obtained when the distance D is avalue less than 50 percent of the distance from the cup lip retainingportion to the centerline of the lid, with performance being furtherimproved when the distance D is a value approximately 45 percent, orless, than the distance from the cup lip retaining portion to thecenterline of the lid. In still other examples of these embodiments, thedistance D is a value approximately 40 percent, or less, than thedistance from the cup lip retaining portion to the centerline of thelid; or a value approximately ⅓rd, or less, than the distance from thecup lip retaining portion to the centerline of the lid. In certain sizedlids, representing these example embodiments—such as lid having anexample diameter of between 90-100 millimeters—the distance D is a valueselected from between approximately 6-25 millimeters. Optionally, thedistance D may be even further reduced, such as to between 0.5-6millimeters.

In other embodiments of the invention, a lid (as described herein) iscombined with a paper straw inserted through a straw receptacle of thelid, with the lid installed on a cup, to provide a unique andperformance improved lid/straw/cup combination. In other embodiments,applicants consider the methods of using a lid as described herein, orthe lid/straw/cup combination, to obtain improved drinking deliveryperformance and/or improved paper straw durability, as one or more otherinventions.

Certain examples of the invention are now described below with respectto certain non-limiting embodiments thereof as illustrated in thefollowing drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EXAMPLE DRAWINGS

The drawings submitted herewith, and which form a part of this patentapplication, each illustrate an embodiment, or one or more components ofan embodiment, of a non-limiting example of Applicant's inventive lids.While these drawings depict certain preferred embodiments of Applicant'sinvention, as well as certain particularly desirable features thereof,they are intended to be examples only and should not be construed tolimit the scope of applicants' invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one non-limiting embodiment ofa lid according to the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an elevation view of the side of the lid illustratedin FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an elevation view of the opposite side of the lidillustrated in

FIG. 2.

FIG. 4. illustrates an elevation view of the straw receptacle end of thelid illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5. illustrates an elevation view of the drink-through end of thelid illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6. illustrates a top view of the lid depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of another non-limiting embodimentof a lid according to the invention, with the pull-tear tab pulled opento expose an example drink-through aperture.

FIG. 8 illustrates the lid embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, installed onan example cup, with a paper straw installed in the provided strawreceptacle.

FIG. 9 illustrates a prior art lid, cup, and straw combination.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-section of the lid depicted in FIG. 1,combined with a duplicate cross-section, to demonstrate a stackingfunction of such lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following description of various illustrative andnon-limiting embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate likefeatures. These example embodiments, disclosed and discussed below, willassist in a further understanding of the inventions described andclaimed herein, but they are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention in any way. Although dimensions are discussed in connectionwith some embodiments, not all embodiments are intended to be limited tosuch dimensions, and variants from such dimensions are of coursecontemplated.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, one example embodiment of a lid whichaddresses the above described problems in the art, or which providesother improvements, is illustrated therein. As illustrated, lid 1 has anoverall circular configuration so that it may be installed on a cup 101(see FIG. 8) having a conventional round opening at its top forreceiving and dispensing liquid. For this purpose, the lower portion oflid 1 is formed by a circumferential skirt 3 which is designed to engageand grip a lip 103 of cup 101.

More specifically, skirt 3 comprises an annular wall 5 which is angledto provide a sloped surface to engage cup lip 103. Angled as such, thediameter of the lower edge surface of the (circular) annular wall 5 issized slightly larger than the diameter of a cup lip onto which the lidwill be installed. Moving up the sloped surface of the annular wall,however, the diameter of the circular surface decreases along the slopeto provide a centering function when lid 1 is placed on cup lip 103. Theupper region of skirt 3 is formed by a second annular wall 7 which joinswall 5 at intersection region 9. Intersection region 9 has a diameterwhich is less than the outer diameter of cup lip 103 but is plasticallydeformable so that if pressure is placed on lid 1, the lid willinitially deform (to a greater diameter) and then snap in place onto lip103 with the lip thereafter being secured to and retained by cup lipretaining portion 11.

Extending inboard and upwards from the cup lip retaining portion 11 is araised annular lid region 13 having a first portion 15 raised to a firstheight and a second portion 17 raised to a second height greater thanthe first height. Inboard, in this context, means in a direction, fromthe reference point, towards the centerline of the lid. In the preferredembodiments illustrated, the higher second portion 17 is configured froma combination of two sloped surfaces bounding a centered constant heightregion. The higher second portion is also preferably configured tosuitably conform to the shape of at least the lower lip of a human user,with the outward facing, convex raised surface being smooth, andsufficiently tall, to form a liquid tight seal with a lower lip. Thisaids in preventing spillage when a human user is drinking through thetab 23 of the lid, when used in the “drink-through” mode.

Forming the center panel of the lid, and inboard of the annular region13, is a generally planar top panel 21 comprised of an integratedcircular-shaped panel region. By the term integrated, it is meant thatthe lid is—in preferred embodiments—a one-piece lid which can be formedusing techniques such as vacuum forming with lid molds. The planar toppanel includes a center (or centerline) 49 as illustrated in FIG. 1.Although a dot-type mark is included in FIG. 1 to illustrate thelocation of the centerline, such a mark does not exist in a manufacturedlid in general practice.

To enable drink-through functionalities in lid 1, a tab 23 is includedin the planar top panel which can be opened (as described below) toreveal a drink opening 30 through which liquid beverage can be dispensed(see FIG. 7). In the embodiment illustrated, drink opening 30 is locatedinboard of but proximal to the height-raised portion 17 of annular lidregion 13. Located as such, drink opening 30 and portion 17 worktogether cooperatively to provide an efficient drink deliveryconfiguration where liquid beverage which exits drink opening 30 may beguided by the inboard, concave surface 20 of the raised annular portion17, effectively aiding in guiding liquid beverage to the mouth of ahuman user.

Tab 23 is normally closed, however, and is formed in lid 1 by impartingcuts into the surface of planar top panel 21. The cuts imparted do notextend through the entire thickness of the tab, but are sufficientlydeep such that a human user can use his/her fingers to pull the tab backto complete the separation of material surfaces for the purposes ofmechanically separating tab 23 from top panel 21. This is typically doneon at least 3 sides, to expose drink-through aperture 30. Also, for thispurpose, at least one side or end—in this case end 29—is preferably leftattached to planar top panel 21 so that the tab remains attached to thelid. This serves to prevent litter of lid parts, and also retains thetab to the lid, so the tab may be potentially re-closed. In optionalalternative embodiments, however, the tab may be separated from planartop panel 21 on all sides, so that tab 23 may be disposed of once it ispulled back (i.e., opened to expose the drink opening).

In the preferred configuration illustrated, tab 23 is formed of twonon-parallel sides 25 a and 25 b, a wide end (or side) 27, and a narrowend 29 (see FIG. 1). Configured as such, when sides 25 a, 25 b, and 27are detached from top panel 21, drink opening 30 with the wide pointnearest the concave, raised surface of lid portion 17 is formed. Narrowend 29 remains attached to panel 21, but tab 23 can otherwise be foldedback in a direction towards lid center (or centerline) 49, to expose thespecially conformed drink opening. This specialized openingconfiguration, in this preferred embodiment, directs flow of liquidbeverage (during use) to the raised, concave surface of lid portion 17to efficiently deliver liquid beverage to the engaged mouth of a humanuser. For embodiments in which it is desired to retain tab 23 attachedto the cup lid, such as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a tabsecuring mechanism, for securing tab 23 in an open position, may also beincluded. For example, as depicted in FIG. 1, tab 23 includes amale-protrusion 37, and planar top panel 21 includes a female receptacle39. Configured as such, when tab 23 is torn and bent back from top panel21, protrusion 37 can be pressed into a friction-fit relationship withreceptacle 39. In this friction-fit state, the tab is adequately securedto keep drink opening 30 exposed for drinking use. Conversely, when ahuman user is done drinking, protrusion 37 may be manually released fromreceptacle 39 so that tab 23 may be folded back to its original “closed”position to effectively close drink opening 30.

Just as lid 1 is useable as a drink-through style lid, the lid alsoincludes a puncturable straw receptable region through which a straw maybe inserted for “straw drinking”. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG.1, lid 1 includes a puncturable, cross-cut straw hole 41 formed byproviding intersecting linear cuts 43 and 45, which bisect each other atintersection point 47. Each cut 43 and 45 is preferably deep enough inplanar top panel 21 to weaken the region so that it may be easilypunctured with a straw (or finger in other embodiments), but withoutpenetrating panel 21 entirely. Designed as such, prior to the strawreceptable being punctured, the closed (pre-puncture) configuration ofthe lid prevents beverage from spilling or splashing through the strawregion when the lid is installed on a beverage filled cup.

As illustrated, puncturable straw receptacle 41 is, in this embodiment,located generally opposite tab 23. Moreover, in order to achieve atleast certain of the advantages provided by the unique lid described,intersection point 47 of the receptacle is preferably locatedsubstantially spaced from the center (or centerline) 49 of the lid, butalso at a selected distance D inboard of cup lip retaining portion 11(see, e.g., FIG. 6). The term “inboard”, as used in this context (aselsewhere), means in a direction towards the center 49 (or centerline)of lid 1. The value of distance D, in preferred embodiments, isparticularly selected such that when a straw 201 is installed in strawreceptable 41 of the lid 1, in a location offset from lid center asshown in FIG. 8 (receptacle 41 not being visible in such figure), thelower end of the straw 203 is located proximal a side wall 105 ofinstalled-upon cup 101. This installed location, as intended with thisembodiment, restricts back-and-forth movement of the straw withinreceptacle 41, and, moreover, places the beverage intake end of thestraw near or in a corner of the cup (where the bottom panel meets theside wall). This location is where liquid beverage collects when the cupis tilted for drinking. Accordingly, the straw need not be moved toreach this location when using lid 1 with an installed straw during adrinking operation. Consequently, mechanical wear on the straw isreduced. See Prior Art FIG. 9 for comparison, which illustrates a strawinstalled in a center location, which requires that the straw bemanipulated significantly to move the lower end of the straw from thecenter of the cup, back and forth—half the diameter of the cup in eitherdirection—to the two cup corners.

Various straw receptacle locations have been determined to be beneficialin this aspect, with the intersection point generally being preferablylocated outboard of a midpoint between the centerline 49 of the lid andcup lip retaining portion 11. The term “outboard”, as used in thiscontext, means in a direction away from the center 49 (or centerline) oflid 1 (i.e., in a direction towards the outer circumference of the lid).More specifically, improved straw longevity is obtained when thedistance D is a value less than 50 percent of the distance from cup lipretaining portion 11 to centerline 49, with performance being furtherimproved when the distance D is a value approximately 45 percent, orless, than the distance from cup lip retaining portion 11 to centerline49, with the largest collective improvements being obtained when thedistance D is a value approximately 30-40 percent, or less, of thedistance from cup lip retaining portion 11 to the centerline 49. Incertain sized lids, representing these example embodiments—such as—thedistance D is a value selected from between approximately 6-25millimeters. In other embodiments, the distance D may be even furtherreduced, such as to between 0.5-6 millimeters.

In a preferred embodiment, an example diameter of lid 1 (measured atskirt 3) is approximately 92 mm. In such an embodiment, the measureddistance of straw receptacle 41 to the most outboard edge of planarpanel 21 is approximately 9.5 mm, with the measurement to the outboarddiameter (i.e., outside edge) of lip retaining portion 11 beingapproximately 18.3 mm. Of course, cup lids come in various sizes—such asfor small, medium, and large cups. Accordingly, these measurements areprovided to illustrate proportions only, with the important featurebeing to locate the straw receptacle suitably off-center to position alower portion of an installed straw near a beverage cup side wall and/ornear the bottom corner of a beverage cup (e.g., where beverage collectswhen the cup is tilted towards a human user during use).

The above-described embodiments are particularly desirable for providinga lid which not only possesses the hybrid functionalities of both astraw receptacle and drink-through lid, but also provides improvedlongevity for paper straws which are otherwise prone to short usefullives and/or early failure. As yet another benefit in the drink-throughmode, straw receptacle 41 may be punctured with a finger to provide airpassage through the resulting aperture. During drinking in adrink-through configuration, this permitted air passage prevents avacuum from forming as liquid exits drink-through aperture 30, improvingfluid flow to a human mouth.

Furthermore, although planar top panel 21 is illustrated as generallyplanar and oriented perpendicular to the center (or centerline) 49 oflid 1, alternative embodiments in which panel 21 is angled away from“horizontal”, or where the panel is not planar but includes variationsin topography, are contemplated. Such alternative embodiments include,but are not limited to, embodiments where the drink-through aperture ofthe lid is elevated above the height of the straw receptable, and/or islocated and configured as an aperture in height-raised lid portion 17.In such an embodiment, a removeable or openable tab 23 need not beutilized, and a permanently open aperture—for drink through use—isemployed. In still other optional embodiments, a channel (orcircumferential “canal”) 14 may optionally be included at theintersection of cup lip retaining portion 11 and annular lid region 13.Such a channel, when included, can capture liquid beverage that may beinadvertently spilled through either drink hole 30 or straw receptacle41. Similarly, the raised height of annular lid region 13, relative toplanar panel 21, serves to retain liquid which inadvertently exitseither drink hole 30 or straw receptacle 4, on the top surface of thelid, rather than permitting such liquid to spill onto a human user.

Referring now to FIG. 10, in an optional alternative embodiment the sizerelationship between the lower skirt annular wall 5 and the outersurface of cup lip retaining portion 11 is selected to achieve desirablestacking performance. More specifically, in one such example embodiment,the inside surface of the lower skirt annular wall 5 has a diameterwhich is complementary to the outer surface of cup lip retaining portion11 so that when lids are stacked, one surface supports the other toprevent the stacked lids from sticking together. Moreover, raisedannular region 13 is so configured and sized (e.g., such as through theselection of angular configuration/relation, shape, and size), asillustrated, so that the peak of the raised annular region of the lowerlid does not “stick” (or get readily stuck) in the valley of the raisedannular region of the upper lid (i.e., stacked on top of the lower lid).Ready, efficient, and unencumbered removal of a lid from a stack of lidsis, of course, important in fast paced retail customer settings, such aspopular coffee shops like Starbucks or Pete's Coffee. If a lid cannot bequickly removed from a stack without sticking, for example, customerservice is slowed resulting in financial loss, because fewer customersare served.

Example materials for constructing the lids described herein arepolyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS),and polylactic Acid (PLA). Although these are particularly usefulcompositions for constructing lids—such as lid 1—the inventionsdescribed herein are not intended to be limited to such materials.

Example Performance Testing:

In order to test the real-world efficacy of the above-describedembodiments, a lid having the configuration of lid 1, illustrated inFIGS. 1-8, was tested. The tests, and the results of the tests, aredescribed below:

Test 1—Straw (No Interaction with Lid)

In order to establish a baseline, a paper straw was first tested byimmersing it in liquids of varying types, including water, milk, coldcoffee, and cold tea. Specifically, a wound paper straw was immersed inthe aforesaid liquids and then tested for softness and unwinding.

In such tests, although softness of the straw was perceptible in allcases within ten minutes, or twenty minutes at the latest, unwinding (orpeeling) of the paper straw did not begin to occur until approximatelyseventy minutes after testing began in the case of water and milk. Nounwinding (or peeling) was detected after submersion in cold coffee orcold tea after eighty minutes, upon which the tests were concluded.

Test 2—Straw Installed in Conventional Lid with Centered StrawReceptacle

In a second test, wound paper straws were installed in a conventionalcold cup lid having a straw receptacle located at the center of the lid.The cup upon which the lid was installed was filled with water, milk,cold coffee, and cold tea, so that the lower end of the straw wassubmersed in such liquids, just as the similar wound paper straw wassubmersed in test 1. The straw was then manipulated back and forth by ahuman tester to simulate the back and forth movement of a straw in realworld use, to test the effects of the mechanical abrasion of the strawreceptacle on the straw, which occurs as the straw is being moved. Suchstraw manipulation is common, of course, because a human user typicallymaneuvers the lower end of the straw to reach the bottom corners of acup (where the side wall meets the bottom panel) to obtain access to theliquid beverage which is carried there.

In all cases when performing this test, softness of the paper straw wasonce again detected within ten minutes. Moreover, presumably because ofthe aforedescribed softness, the ability to manipulate the bottomportion of the straw was impacted negatively also within ten minutes inall cases. In other words, because of the softness of the straw,movement of the upper portion of the straw did not result in the desiredlower movement of the straw after ten minutes. Accordingly, after tenminutes, the lower portion of the straw could not be reliably,accurately positioned to reach the desired regions of the beveragefilled cup. The following results were also observed:

-   -   Water: Unwinding of the straw began by minute thirty, with        denting occurring no later than minute ten. The ability to move        the straw in and out of the straw receptable was also impacted        by minute thirty;    -   Milk: Denting was observed by minute twenty, with unpeeling of        the straw beginning by minute forty;    -   Cold coffee: Denting was observed by minute twenty, with        unpeeling of the straw beginning by minute forty. Straw was        broken in one location by minute forty;    -   Cold tea: Denting was observed by minute twenty, with unpeeling        of the straw beginning by minute forty. Straw was broken in one        location by minute forty.

Test 3—Straw Installed in a Lid Having the Configuration of Lid 1 (FIG.1)

In a third test, a wound paper straw was installed in a cold cup lidhaving a configuration similar to that depicted as lid 1 in FIG. 1. Thatis, the straw receptacle in this tested lid was located off-center, nearthe cup lip retaining portion, so that the side wall of the cup wouldrestrict movement of the straw. Moreover, the lower end of thestraw—when inserted at this straw receptacle location—naturallypositions itself near the bottom corner of the beverage filled cup,obviating a need or desire to move the straw with the same magnitude asconventional lids (such as the lid described in Test 2). As describedbelow, the performance and durability of the wound paper straw improvedduring this test.

Specifically, the wound paper straw in this test, like in the othertests, exhibited softness within ten minutes when installed on abeverage cup filled with water. However, because the movement of thepaper straw was restricted by the side wall of the beverage cup, andbecause less manipulation of the straw is required when installed inthis position, the straw was subjected to fewer dynamic mechanicalabrasions or other destructive forces during the test. Consequently,minor unwinding or peeling of the straw did not begin untilapproximately minute fifty (an improvement of approximately tenminutes). Moreover, the unwinding (or peeling) was less severe than intest two, with no breakage or other severe damage to the strawoccurring. As a result, the paper straw remained intact at theconclusion of the test after eighty minutes.

Once given the above disclosure, many other features, modifications, andimprovements will become apparent to the skilled artisan. Such features,modifications, and improvements are therefore considered to be part ofthis invention, without limitation imposed by the example embodimentsdescribed herein. Moreover, any word, term, phrase, feature, example,embodiment, or part or combination thereof, as used to describe orexemplify embodiments herein, unless unequivocally set forth asexpressly uniquely defined or otherwise unequivocally set forth aslimiting, is not intended to impart a narrowing scope to the inventionin contravention of the ordinary meaning of the claim terms by which thescope of the patent property rights shall otherwise be determined:

We claim:
 1. A lid comprising: an annular lower cup lid engaging portioncomprising a circumferential skirt including a first portion comprisingan angled annular wall angled at a selected angle to engage with a lipof a cup and to guide said lid to a position substantially centered on acup to which said lid will be installed and a second portion angled in asecond direction at a second angle, the intersection of the firstportion and the second portion being plastically deformable such thatthe intersection of angles deforms when pressed against a cup lip andsnaps over said cup lip to retain said lid on said cup lip to accomplishfixation of said lid to the cup; a cup lip retaining portion extendingaround the circumference of said lid; an upwardly extending raisedannular lid portion, located inboard of said cup lip retaining portion,having a first portion having a first height and having a second portionhaving a second height which is raised relative to said first height ofsaid first portion; said second portion configured to receive a lowerlip of a user, the second portion having a substantially smooth surfaceto obtain a liquid tight seal between a lower lip of a user and thesecond portion; a planar top portion located inboard of said upwardlyextending raised annular lid portion; a tab having two non-parallelsides, said configuration of said two non-parallel sides of said tabresulting in said tab having a wide end and a narrow end, and said tabhaving a third side located proximal said second raised annular lidportion, said two non-parallel sides and said third side of said tabeach being disconnectably affixed to said planar top portion such thatsaid third end and said two non-parallel sides may be disconnected fromsaid planar top portion such that said tab can be bent in a directionaway from said second raised annular lid portion to expose a tab drinkopening; said tab further including a male protrusion; said planar topportion having a female receptacle portion; said tab being securable inan open position by press fitting said male protrusion into said femalereceptacle portion; a cross-cut portion in line with and locatedgenerally opposite of said tab on said planar top portion, saidcross-cut portion being comprised of a first linear cut which goespartially but not entirely through said planar top portion in at leastone region of said linear cut; a second linear cut which transects thefirst linear cut at an intersection point and which is orientedapproximately perpendicular thereto; the intersection point of saidcross-cut portion being located substantially spaced from a centerlineof said lid and also located at a selected distance D inboard of saidcup lip retaining portion; said cross-cut portion being puncturable by astraw to form a straw receptacle for use to drink liquid using a strawand, in the alternative, puncturable to serve as a vent hole to allowair to escape during drinking through said tab drink opening to improvedrinking flow; and said selected distance D being so selected such thatwhen a straw is installed in said cross-cut portion of said lid, andwhen said lid is installed on a cup, said cross-cut portion of said lidlocates a lower end of said straw proximal a side wall of said cupthereby restricting movement of said straw, in at least one direction,when inserted in said cross-cut portion of said lid, thereby reducingmechanical wear on said straw.
 2. A lid according to claim 1 whereinsaid intersection point of said cross-cut portion is located outboard ofa midpoint between said centerline of said lid and said cup lipretaining portion.
 3. A lid according to claim 1 wherein said distance Dis a value less than 50 percent of the distance from said cup lipretaining portion to said centerline of said lid.
 4. A lid according toclaim 1 wherein said distance D is a value approximately 45 percent, orless, than the distance from said cup lip retaining portion to saidcenterline of said lid.
 5. A lid according to claim 1 wherein saiddistance D is a value approximately 40 percent, or less, than thedistance from said cup lip retaining portion to said centerline of saidlid.
 6. A lid according to claim 1 wherein said distance D is a valueapproximately ⅓rd, or less, than the distance from said cup lipretaining portion to said centerline of said lid.
 7. A lid according toclaim 1 wherein said distance D is a value selected from betweenapproximately 6-25 millimeters.
 8. A lid according to claim 1, combinedwith a beverage cup and paper straw, wherein said lid is installed onsaid cup, and wherein said paper straw is inserted in said strawreceptacle formed by puncturing said cross-cut portion of said lid.
 9. Amethod of using the lid, paper straw, and beverage cup combinationaccording to claim 8, wherein when said paper straw is used by a humanuser to drink a beverage carried by said beverage cup, dynamicmechanical wear on said paper straw is reduced, improving longevity ofsaid paper straw.